Friday Night Lies
by Romantique The Original
Summary: When the entire town of Dillon closes up Friday nights to watch their beloved Panthers, who's watching their homes and businesses?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Friday Night Lies

Author: Romantique

Email:

Classification: Eric/Tami Crime/Angst

Rating: T for minor course language.

Summary: When the entire town of Dillon closes up Friday nights to watch their beloved Panthers, who's watching their homes and businesses?

Disclaimer: Friday Night Lights fan fiction occurs at the end of Season 3.

Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.

_After Friday Night's Game_

It was another win for this season's Panther's win column, followed by the obligatory celebration afterwards at Applebees with the team, their families, and the Boosters. It made for a good night for the Taylors. Winning nights were always good for the Taylors, promising a restful, happier, more normal weekend than the losing alternative.

The post-game socializing was not Coach Eric Taylor's favorite part of his job. He did it only because he had to, and he was always happiest when presented with his earliest opportunity to leave. Tonight was no different. After making an obligatory appearance, Eric and his wife, Tami, piled into their SUV to head home and make plans for their next two days off from school. The ride home lulled their young daughter, Gracie Belle, fast to sleep in her car seat.

Coach had a practice scheduled on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with the Panther defense, Tami had to make some cookies for Monday's bake sale, and of course, there was Sunday school and church service on Sunday morning. But other than that, their weekend was their own. During football season, it was a rare thing indeed to have any free time on a weekend. Tami tried to convince Eric they needed to use some of that precious time to go shopping at the furniture store to buy a youth bed for Gracie Belle. Their baby girl had grown tall enough to be able to climb out of her crib. Several recent baby escapes in the middle of the night necessitated that a safer sleeping arrangement for Gracie be made as soon as possible.

"C'mon, Tami. I don't want go shoppin' this weekend," Eric protested, as he drove down the highway. "You know how much I hate to shop. Why don't you take Julie? She loves shoppin'." Not only did he loathe shopping, he was looking forward to sleeping in on Saturday, grilling some steaks after church on Sunday, and watching game films to get ahead for next week's game.

Tami sighed. "This is a major investment, Hon. The right youth bed will last Gracie Belle for many years to come. It's been so long since we last bought a youth bed, I don't know what I'm doing here. I value your opinion."

Coach immediately countered with, "And I value your opinion, and I trust that you'll make the right decision. Heck, Tami, I don't know any more about baby furniture than you do. Isn't it all regulated, child safety inspected, and guaranteed, anyway?"

Tami folded her arms in front of her. She was becoming frustrated with her husband. "You just want to stay home all weekend and watch game films … like you do every weekend. How often do we get free time on the weekend during the season? Never," she answered her own question.

Eric was becoming equally frustrated because watching game films was non-negotiable. "Hon, please don't get started on the films. They're a key part of winnin' games, and they're necessary for me to keep my job," he began as he turned the corner to their street. "I promise I'm not gonna to spend the entire …"

"Oh, my God, Eric, look!" Tami shouted, cutting him off in mid-sentence when she saw the front door to their darkened house wide open.

Eric saw it, too. They knew their oldest daughter, Julie, wasn't home. They had just left her at Applebees with her friends. He slowly pulled into the driveway, while cutting the headlights and the motor. Suddenly, they heard the sound of shattering glass coming from inside the house.

"Call 911," Eric said calmly, yet forcefully, to his wife as he shoved the car in park, released his seatbelt, and opened his car door in one swift motion.

"Don't go in there! Please Eric, wait for the police!" Tami begged her husband with panic in her voice.

It was too late for Tami to stop him. Eric bounded out of the car leaving the driver's door ajar and raced to the open front door. Tami's outburst startled and woke Gracie who began to cry. Tami frantically dialed 911 and asked for an officer to come right away, while at the same time, trying to comfort her crying daughter from the front seat.

Carefully, Eric entered the dark house, illuminated only by the outside porch light. He was 100 percent certain he left the house with some inside lights on. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see that their living room had been ransacked. Suddenly, he heard a loud crash. The noise came from near the sliding door to the patio. With adrenaline flowing, he purposely tried to slow his quickening breath and quietly walk towards the noise. He could hear his own heart beating out of his chest. When he made it to the slider door, he heard footsteps coming up on him from behind. He turned towards the sound when a crushing blow to the back of his head caused him to cry out and grab for his head before everything went black.

Tami remained in the car with Gracie Belle. She immediately called her oldest daughter, Julie, who was still at Applebees celebrating with her friends. After explaining their situation at home, she calmly gave her daughter instructions. "I want you to go home with Matt and stay there until I call you, okay?"

Julie didn't buy her Mom's calm for a single second. "No way, Mom. I'm coming home. Matt said he'd drive me," Julie said. "We're leaving now."

Headlights pulled up behind the Taylor's car, and the strobe of squad car lights filled their front yard. Then suddenly, Tami observed three male figures racing from the back of their side yard running towards their neighbor's back yard.

"Julie, the police are here. I gotta go," she said and quickly ended the call. Watching though the side mirror, she waited as one of the uniformed officers approached her on the driver's side of the car where Eric had left the door open.

"Are you Tami Taylor?" the officer asked her, shining a flashlight in her face.

"Yes. My husband went inside," she pleaded. "I tried to stop him." And Tami began to cry.

"You stay here," the officer ordered, and he left to speak with his partner.

About that time two other police cars pulled up. Tami observed two other officers from one of the cars suit up in dark jackets and grab their equipment and flashlights.

The first officer came back to Tami. "What's your husband's name?"

"Eric, Eric Taylor," she was still crying.

The officer radioed that information. "You're the one who called 911, correct?"

Tami nodded.

Officer Hanson asked if he could have a seat, and he climbed into the driver's seat of the car. "Okay, can you tell me what happened?" he asked, pulling out a clipboard and a flashlight, while taking notes on his report.

Continuing to check the police activity in her side mirror, Tami recanted everything that happened, including the three men she saw running from the back side of the house. She pointed to the direction where she saw them run. It was about that time when she saw the two, freshly suited up officers systematically approached the entrance of the house with their weapons drawn.

Officer Hanson asked Tami several different ways if she remembered anything about the men she saw running from the house. At first, she said other than they were all wearing dark clothing, she couldn't see much because it was dark. Upon further questioning, she remembered that she thought that they were all Caucasian. She also gave as much height information as she could. And then she recalled seeing a white symbol on the back of the tallest man's jacket. It was an ankh, the Egyptian symbol for eternal life. Officer Hanson asked her if she could draw the symbol on his field report. She did as she was asked and initialed and dated the drawing.

Suddenly, Tami heard Julie shouting, "Mom! Mom!"

Julie was being held back at the curb by the officer's partner. By now, Tami could see neighbors gathering out in the street.

"That's my daughter, Julie Taylor," Tami told the officer.

"Okay," Officer Hanson said. "I'll bring her to you. You wait right here."

A minute later, the officer escorted Julie and Matt to the vehicle and allowed them to enter the back seat. "Ya'll must remain here in the car until the premises are secured," he said. "Understood?"

They all confirmed they understood, and then Tami continued, "Officer Hanson? What is taking them so long? Where is my husband? Would you please find out if Eric is okay?" Tears were streaming down her face. There was fear was in her eyes.

The officer was receptive. "Let me see what I can find out."

"Thank you," Tami was grateful.

Gracie began fussing, so Julie took her little sister out of the infant seat.

"Here, Honey," Tami said. "Hand her to me." Tami took Gracie and held her youngest close to her heart.

"Mom," Julie started, intuitively knowing something was wrong. Tears welled up in her eyes, and Matt was holding onto her. "Where's Dad?"

Tami broke down and began to cry as she patted her baby, "He's in there." She pointed to the house. "I begged him not to go."

Julie buried her face into Matt's shoulder and began to sob. He held her and tried his best to comfort her. His eyes were wide as he tried to catch a glimpse of anything going on in the darkened house. He could only hope his coach was okay.

The sound of another siren came closer and closer, until they all watched as an ambulance pulled up to the house. Gracie did not like the sound of the siren. She was wide eyed looking at the red strobe light hitting the entire side of their block. Two paramedics raced from the ambulance to the inside the house with boxes of equipment and a gurney. Tami, Julie, and Matt all watched intently at the surreal scene that was unfolding before them.

"Mrs. Taylor," Officer Hanson returned to the driver's side of the car. "I've gotten word your husband's been injured."

Tami searched the officer's face for more information. "That's all the information I have. The paramedics are in there now, treating him at the scene, and will transport him to the hospital. You're welcome to ride in the ambulance with him, but there's only room for one."

"I'll follow you with Julie and Gracie," Matt offered to Tami without missing a beat.

Tami nodded. "Take this car, Matt. The keys are still in the ignition." And she handed Gracie to Julie, and Julie put her sister back in her car seat.

"Okay, are you ready?" Officer Hanson asked Tami.

"Yeah," she heard someone else respond. She couldn't respond, as she felt as if she was out of her own body. In shock, Tami followed the officer to the back of the ambulance where she was assisted inside. She was instructed to sit on the side and wait.

Matt and Julie situated themselves in the front seats of her Dad's car. In what seemed like slow motion, they watched as the paramedics wheeled Eric out of the house on a gurney, down the driveway near their car. His eyes were closed. He had an oxygen mask over his face with an IV and a white collar around his neck. The paramedics loaded him into the back of the ambulance.

"Dad!" cried Julie at the disturbing site of her unconscious father.

Determined to keep his cool, Matt reached over and put a firm hand on Julie's shoulder. "Your Dad's gonna be okay. Now, let's get to the hospital where we can find out what's going on." He turned the ignition, backed out the car, and waited to follow his fallen coach.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Friday Night Lies Chapter 2

Author: Romantique

Email:

Classification: Eric/Tami

Rating: T for course language.

Summary: When the entire town of Dillon closes up Friday nights to watch their beloved Panthers, who watches their vacant homes and businesses?

Disclaimer: Friday Night Lights fan fiction occurs at the end of Season 3.

Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.

_Late Friday Night_

_Midland Medical Center_

_Emergency Room_

Julie and Matt sat in the Emergency Room waiting area with Gracie, as instructed by the nursing staff. They had been there for what seemed like an eternity. Julie had not seen nor heard from her mom since she left with her Dad in the ambulance. The only information they had was that Eric was listed in critical condition. Not knowing what was going on was getting to Julie. It was getting to Matt, too.

Word quickly began to spread around the team about what had happened to their coach. Landry Clarke and Tyra Collette were the first of Julie's and Matt's friends to arrive at the hospital. Tyra gave Julie a long hug. The sight of seeing her friend so distraught over her Dad made Tyra, who was typically very strong and stoic, cry. Matt seemed relieved when they arrived. Tyra was not only good morale support for Julie, but she and Landry could also help them keep an eye on Gracie who was sleeping on the sofa next to Matt.

"Tim Riggins and Lila Garrity are right behind us," Landry told Matt and Julie. "Everyone is really upset to hear about what happened to Coach Taylor."

Within the hour, Riggins, Lila, and Mac Macgill also arrived. For Julie, telling or even hearing the story about what happened over and over was like reliving the trauma all over again. To spare his girlfriend, Matt put Landry in charge of updating each new arrival at the hospital.

Dillon's number one Panther Booster, Buddy Garrity, was the next to arrive. "Hey, Matt," Buddy motioned. Matt was soon joined by Mac, Riggins, and Landry. "I just left Eric's house and spoke to the police there at the scene. I want you to tell Tami and Julie that their house has been sealed off as a crime scene. The police detectives will be back in the morning in the daylight to begin their investigation. I also want the Taylors to know they are welcome to stay at my home for as long as they need."

Matt, who was typically unsure of himself, rose to the occasion tonight. "Thank you, Mr. Garrity. I'll make sure they know. That's very nice for you to open your home, although I doubt Julie or Mrs. Taylor will leave the hospital until they know Coach is out of the woods. I'm sure you can understand that." Then, he continued, "I think it's a great idea for you to keep in touch with what is going on with the police. My goal is to take care of Julie as much as I can while Mrs. Taylor is taking care of Coach. And of course, I'll be helping Julie take care of Gracie. It's all so much so fast, and I think it would be good if we can all do whatever we see that needs to be done to help the Taylors."

Mac joined in on the discussion and added, "Is it true their house was ransacked? As soon as the police are finished with their investigation, we could get the team together. With some direction from either Tami or Julie and some muscle power from the guys, we could get their house cleaned up and back in shape in no time."

Buddy concurred, "Yeah, that's a great idea, Mac. And the Boosters and the church can help them replace some of the items that were damaged or stolen."

Landry reminded them that his Dad, the county Sheriff, could help. The Sheriff could arrange for a security evaluation of the house to see what they could do to make the Taylor home more secure. Riggins, who had been quiet all this time, said that someone needed to give him something to do soon before he took off to find the S.O.B.s who did this to Coach.

Matt excused himself when he saw Julie discreetly wave him over. She led him by the arm to follow a nurse's aid who led them to her mother. Tami's beautiful face looked like it had aged ten years tonight. She cried all her makeup off which was replaced with worry under harsh florescent lights. The look on Tami's face alarmed her daughter.

"Your Dad's conscious," Tami immediately started. She spoke very quickly. "He was unconscious when he arrived, and it was really scary for awhile. He knows who I am, who you and Gracie are. That is very good news. He doesn't remember what happened tonight or how he got to the hospital which they are telling me is not abnormal. He was just taken upstairs to get a CT scan of his head. Now, we wait to see what the scan shows."

"Mom, what happened to Dad? Nobody's told us anything." Julie needed to know.

Tami's face contorted into the most painful look. "Someone cold cocked him on the back of his head," Tami cried, so sorry to have to tell her daughter. She had a hard time fathoming how someone could do that to Eric or to anyone else.

"What does cold cocked mean?" Matt asked, thinking maybe Julie didn't know either.

"It means to knock someone unconscious," Tami sobbed.

Julie cried and hugged her mom.

"Tyra and Landry are here," Matt did the talking because Julie couldn't. "Gracie is sleeping, and she's with them so we could come back here and talk with you."

Tami nodded, trying hard to compose herself. "Thank you for being here, Matt. Julie and Eric and I need you right now. Anyway, I need to get back up there. I'll come back down when I know something from the scan. But it could be awhile."

"I'm not going anywhere until I know Dad's okay," Julie told her mom, still visibly shaken.

"I know," Tami hugged her, oldest. "And I think that is fine."

_Midland Medical Center_

_Emergency Room_

_Saturday morning_

Very early the next morning, the only ones left in the waiting room from Dillon High were Julie, Matt, Gracie, Tyra, and Landry. Everyone else was told to go home until the next day.

Finally, Tami came down to give Julie an update. She took a seat on the sofa between Julie and Gracie, and she softly patted her sleeping baby girl's back.

"I'm sorry it took so long," she said, and began the update. "Eric has a hematoma, which is a big bruise that is bleeding under the skin, in the back of his head. His skull has a dent where he was hit, but it didn't fracture. That's good. The hematoma can cause swelling and pressure on the brain, and that is a concern. He's in Critical Care so that they can watch the situation very carefully by repeating the scans to watch for changes. They may need to drain the blood which is why they are watching it very closely."

Julie looked frightened. "Is he still awake?" Julie asked.

"Yes, he is. But he's had a tough night. He has a bad headache which you could imagine, and he's been vomiting. It's been no fun for him," she answered, hugging her girl.

"That sort of sounds like when Riggins had that concussion last year," Landry commented.

"Yes, that's right. A concussion, or brain swelling, is exactly what it is," Tami said. She felt it was better to be honest with these very smart young people.

Tami continued, "Jules, I'm going to take you in to see your Dad for just a few minutes. You can come back tonight and see him again. After your visit, I think you should go with Gracie to wherever you feel most comfortable and get some sleep so you can be rested when you're allowed to see him again. We can't go back to our house right now under any circumstances. Don't any of you go back there for clothes or anything else until the police tell us its okay."

"Julie and Gracie could stay at our house," Tyra offered.

"You should all be together as much as possible," Tami suggested, knowing that Julie sometimes had split loyalties between Tyra and Matt. "Watching Gracie is a handful and sometimes a two person job. One or two of you are going to need to watch her while Jules gets some rest."

Matt joined in. "My mom can take care of Gramma. I can be wherever Julie needs me to be. I just need to check in with her. Gramma is very concerned about Coach."

"I'd be happy to help watch Gracie," Landry smiled at Tyra.

"That's wonderful," Tami smiled. "If you all stick together and help Julie get through this, I will be forever grateful."

Tyra, Landry, and Matt all easily agreed.

"What about you, Mom?" Julie asked, concerned about her mother.

"I just spoke with your Aunt Shelly; she will be here by tonight and will help us with Gracie and clothes and whatever we need. They just brought a cot into the room for me," she said. "I'm about to lay down for a couple of hours before the doctors come through to make their rounds. But first, I'm going to take you up to see your Dad."


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Friday Night Lies Chapter 3

Author: Romantique

Email:

Classification: Eric/Tami

Rating: T for course language.

Summary: When the entire town of Dillon closes up Friday nights to watch their beloved Panthers, who's watching their vacant homes and businesses?

Disclaimer: Friday Night Lights fan fiction occurs at the end of Season 3.

Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.

_Midland Medical Center_

_Critical Care Unit_

_Saturday morning_

"Try and keep your voice down," Tami warned Julie while walking down the hall from the elevator on the Critical Care floor. "Light and noise bother him."

Tami opened the door to his room. It was darkened except for the glow of equipment dials. There were machines making beeping noises and tubes running in and out of Eric. Positioned lying on his right side to prevent him from choking, his eyes were closed. He still had the soft collar around his neck to stabilize his head.

"Eric," Tami whispered near his ear. She gently put her hand on his face and kissed him very lightly on his forehead. "Julie's here. She needs to see with her own eyes that you are going to be okay."

Eric opened his eyes. It took a little time for his eyes to focus on his daughter. He immediately recognized her. "Come here, baby," he held out his hand.

"Dad?" Julie grabbed onto her Dad's hand trying to be very stoic. His daughter's face looked very frightened.

"Hey, I'm gonna be fine," he said, blinking his heavy eyes. "My hard head dented, but it didn't break," he tried to smile for his girl.

"Yeah, well …" she stammered looking around at all the tubes. He was hooked up to an IV, a catheter, an oxygen cannula in his nose, and a pulse Oximeter on his finger. Julie didn't know what all these tubes and wires were for, but they frightened her. "Can I give you a hug?"

Eric smiled, "C'mere," and he opened his left arm, the one with the IV in his hand, so that his daughter could come closer to him.

Julie cautiously placed her head near his shoulder, being very careful not to hurt him. "I love you," she said, trying to hold back tears.

Eric got a lump in his throat. "I love you too, Julie." He patted her on the back for a moment.

Tami stood near the door, wiping tears from her eyes.

A nurse came into the room and told them that this first visit was long enough. She told Julie she could come back at 5:00.

"I'll see you at 5:00," she said, and she kissed him on his stubbly cheek.

"Okay, honey," he said, giving Julie's hand a reassuring squeeze as she turned to leave the room.

_Critical Care unit_

_Later that afternoon_

At a quarter to 5:00, Julie made her way back up to her father's room when she saw her Aunt Shelley sitting near the elevator in the small, family waiting area.

"Hey, you," Shelley stood and held her arms out to hug her niece. "I'm so sorry ya'll are having to go through this. It's just terrible."

"Yeah, it is. But I'm so glad you're here. Julie asked, "Where's Mom?"

"I took a hotel room across the street and brought her some clothes to change into. She's there taking a shower. It will make her feel better," Shelley explained. "You can use the room to sleep or take a shower or do whatever you need to do over the next few days. No pressure, honey. It's there if you need it."

"Thanks," Julie liked the idea of staying nearby. "Have you heard anything today about my Dad?" Julie wanted to know.

Shelley recanted. "I don't think they are going to let him go home tomorrow or Monday because he has to stay in bed. You're Mom helped him get cleaned up a little. I think it made him feel better."

"Aunt Shelley?" Julie changed the subject, "Mom said Dad couldn't remember what happened last night or how he got here."

"He's starting to remember," Shelley put her arm around her niece and patted arm.

"I've been so scared. Dad looked bad when the paramedics brought him out of the house. He looked like he was dead, Aunt Shelley." Julie had tears in her eyes. It was obvious her niece had been traumatized. "Dad's always been so strong and healthy. I never thought anything could happen to him."

"Your Mom said the same thing," Shelley confirmed as she gave her niece a steadying hug. "But your Daddy is strong and healthy, and he's going to come through this just fine. They're watching him really close, honey."

"Thanks, Aunt Shelley." Julie gave her aunt another hug. "Is it okay for me to go in and see him?"

"I know he'd love it," Shelley gave her a reassuring smile. "You're good medicine for him, Julie."

_Midland Medical Center_

_Coffee Shop_

_Sunday Morning_

On Sunday morning, the 10 a.m. church service was missing the Taylor family. Members offered prayers for Eric, Tami, and the girls and the pastor told his congregation that he planned to visit the family at the hospital later in the day.

Tami spent the night at the hospital with Eric. He had another bad, restless night which made Tami grateful he was being cared for by professionals. Julie, Gracie, and Shelley stayed at the hotel across the street.

While Eric was upstairs for another scan, Tami met Shelley and her girls downstairs for breakfast. Tami filled them in on the latest information from Eric's doctors. It had been a close decision whether the doctors would drain the hematoma or allow his body to absorb the blood on its own. They opted for the latter option. Draining was a faster treatment, but it risked brain infection. The head of neurosurgery, Dr. Stamford Jones of UT Medical Center at Austin, was brought in on Eric's case thanks to Buddy Garrity. Dr. Jones came to examine Eric late last night. He recommended monitoring Eric closely with repeated scans and neurological exams for the next 48 to 72 hours, as they could quickly alter the course of treatment with a surgical course should it become necessary. Tami told her eldest daughter and her sister that she was comfortable with the treatment plan.

Tami then cut up some waffles for Gracie Belle. She missed her baby, and her baby missed her, too.

"The police called," Tami changed the subject. "They said they would be finished processing the house by tomorrow afternoon, but they warned me it's a mess. Whoever was in there was there long enough to hit all the rooms except for Gracie's."

"What are you thinking, Tami?" her sister wanted to know. "What would you like me to do?"

"First things first: The police want a list of what is missing. Unfortunately, Julie and I are the only ones who can do that. Jules and I could go to the house and do a cursory look tomorrow afternoon if you would please stay with Eric, Shelley. We'll take Gracie with us and be back here by tomorrow night."

"Sure, I'll stay with Eric," Shelley wanted to help any way she could. There were so many doctors coming in and out of his room, Tami didn't want to miss any information when she had to drive back to Dillon.

Tami seemed frazzled, and she was worried about Eric but had to take care of the police and the house, too. "Mac said he'd meet us at the house after school tomorrow with a video camera from the Athletics Department to film all the damage for the insurance company. I think that is a good idea to do that before clean up begins. Just hang in there with me, Sis. We'll have to figure what's next after I see the house. Today, we need to stick close by Eric."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Friday Night Lights Chapter 4

Author: Romantique

Email:

Classification: Eric/Tami

Rating: T for course language.

Summary: When the entire town of Dillon closes up Friday nights to watch their beloved Panthers, who's watching their vacant homes and businesses?

Disclaimer: Friday Night Lights fan fiction occurs at the end of Season 3.

Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.

_Monday Afternoon_

_Taylor Home_

Tami and Julie arrived at their house at 3:00 where Mac was there waiting for them. On the drive to Dillon, mother and daughter talked about being strong and how "stuff is just stuff and can be replaced." The important thing was that they were all going to be okay.

The neighbors boarded up the broken windows and put a padlock on the front door. Their neighbor, Mr. Franklin, came running out to give Tami a key to the padlock. Tami thanked him and the neighbors for securing their house on a weekend. Holding Gracie Belle on her hip, they chatted for just a few minutes until she had to explain they were on a very limited time schedule.

After Mr. Franklin left, the three of them entered the house. Julie audibly gasped when she first saw the mess. Indeed, Tami had to control her own reaction. Even though they tried to prepare themselves for walking into a mess, it was a difficult sight to see and they both felt violated. Slowly, they walked over and through their belonging strewn across the living room. Mac began filming, as Tami narrated.

"Well, the flat screen television is gone, and all of its speakers," she was not surprised to find. "The DVD player, DVR, surround sound speakers, Play Station console, controllers are all here. They are in disarray, but they're not missing. Our desktop computer is gone. Cordless phone, DVDs, video games, and CDs are all dumped on the floor and looks as if they've been trampled. We'll have to go through these and can't do that today because Eric is in the hospital in Midland," Tami told the camera.

Julie left the living room and went into her room as Tami moved to the kitchen and combed through some drawers.

"Eric's checkbook is missing," she reported.

Tami moved to her and Eric's bedroom as Mac followed her. "Some of our jewelry is gone. Eric had some cufflinks and some sentimental pieces from his family." She went looking through drawers that were already opened. "I have some jewelry missing. Some of mine is insured." She looked at the camera. "I'll have to give a better inventory of my jewelry when my husband is not lying in the hospital in serious condition."

At that moment, Julie came running in. "My room is a mess. My laptop is missing."

Tami continued to look through their room. "Eric's sports memorabilia is missing. Oh, no, his football card collections are gone. Some of his stuff is insured. Game tapes and play books could be missing."

"I'll take a look at those, Tami," Mac said.

The three went through the house to the door that goes out to the garage. But first, Tami opened the hall closet. "Eric's golf clubs and athletic stuff is still here." A chill went through Tami's stomach, making her queasy. The police told her they believed Eric was struck on the head with one of his own clubs. They found his 9 iron near where the paramedics found him and were holding it as evidence.

"Well, they didn't go through the garage," she reported. "Okay, Mac. That's it for today. I need to get back to the hospital."

And Mac turned the tape off. Just then, Matt, Riggins, and Lila Garrity were at the front door. Mac let them in.

"Hey Mac, Julie, Mrs. Taylor," Matt said. "We were wondering if we could help you start cleaning up."

"Mom, we can start picking up the living room and the kitchen," Julie offered. "We can at least get it started and make a path."

Lila added. "We'll make sure to get Julie back by the hospital when we're finished here."

"That would fine, but just make sure it's not too late. Just keep a running list of anything that was damaged or broken for the insurance company. I need to get back and find out about the latest scan. And then, I'm going to the hotel to catch a nap so I can stay with Eric again tonight." Tami wasn't complaining, only listing her tasks aloud. She looked and sounded so drained.

Suddenly, Tim Riggins, who had been silent until now, spoke in his slow easy way. "Mrs. Taylor, I think you should let me stay at the hospital tonight with Coach. Think about it. I'm rested because I slept all weekend. I promise I won't miss school tomorrow. I swear I'll walk over to the hotel, bang on your door with my fist, and carry you back over to the hospital myself if you're needed tonight."

Tami began to beg off of Tim's offer when he stopped her.

"Look. You should get at least one good night's sleep. This stuff with the hospital and the police and the house could be going on for awhile. You need to take care of yourself, too, Mrs. T."

Lila whispered to her principal, "Please let Tim help you. Or I'm afraid he's going to go hunting for the guys who hurt Coach Taylor. He needs something to do."

Tami could tell Lila wasn't exaggerating.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Friday Night Lies Chapter 5

Author: Romantique

Email:

Classification: Eric/Tami

Rating: T for course language.

Summary: When the entire town of Dillon closes up Friday Nights to watch their beloved Panthers, who's watching their vacant homes and businesses?

Disclaimer: Friday Night Lights fan fiction occurs at the end of Season 3.

Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.

_Monday Night_

_Midland Memorial Medical Canter_

_Neurosurgical Floor_

_9 p.m._

The next set of scans showed some more improvement, and Eric was moved to a room on the Neurosurgical Floor for observation. The hematoma was gradually becoming smaller, but Eric was still vomiting which was cause for concern. Satisfied nothing more would happen with the doctors until tomorrow morning, Tami and Julie joined Gracie and Shelley at the hotel. Reluctantly, Tami authorized Tim Riggins to stay overnight with Eric.

"How did you get elected to babysit me?" Eric asked Riggins, still instructed to lie on his side in case he vomited again. Lying in the darkened room, he was in pain; he was becoming crabby and was not at all happy one of his players was assigned to stay with him overnight.

"I volunteered, Coach," Riggins smiled and gave a proud nod while stretching himself out in his chair.

"Riggins, I don't need you to stay here with me tonight. C'mon, there are nurses here who take real good care of me," Eric argued.

"Yeah, I'll be checking out those nurses, too," Riggins attempted to make a joke. Seeing that his coach was in no mood for jokes, he quickly changed his tone. "Honestly? I promised Mrs. Coach I'd stay with you in case you can't get the nurse and to make sure I call her if she needs to come back over here. Coach, it's the only way she'd even agree to leave you. She needs to get some sleep. Poor woman has been runnin' on empty for days."

"Yeah," Eric sounded resigned, as he held much sympathy for his wife. Unfortunately, Riggins was telling the truth. "I know." After a minute, he changed the subject. "Have you seen my house?"

"Uh, yeah," Tim answered, dreading the question. "I was over there the other day with Julie and Matt."

"And …" Eric waited for an answer. "How'd it look? Shoot me straight, son."

Riggins took in a deep breath. "It's a mess. Remember when Arnett Mead trashed our locker room? Well, it's not that bad. I mean, they didn't graffiti all over your walls or piss all over your stuff, but it's pretty bad."

Eric appreciated Riggin's honesty. No sugar coating, just straight shooting. After a pause, he said, "I saw the livin' room that night. It was bad." Eric closed his eyes.

Concerned he should now be very quiet, Riggins asked, "Do you want to sleep?"

"No, I'm closin' my eyes because my damn head hurts," Coach complained with a sigh. "Hell, it hurts when my eyes are closed, too. They give me Tylenol that doesn't do anything but make me even sicker to my stomach."

"I had a concussion, too," Riggins reminisced. "Caffeine used to help my headache. I've got some Red Bull in my duffle bag here. Do you want one?" He honestly thought he was helping, and he pulled a four-pack out of his bag.

Eric was both horrified and amused by Riggins' lack of good sense. "I don't think Red Bull is part of my medical plan, son. But thanks for the offer."

Completely not offended, Riggins suggested, "Well, then maybe we should get your mind off your headache." Then, he totally changed the subject. "Do you remember anything about the son of a bitch who clocked you? Anything you remember might help."

Eric spoke softly with his eyes still closed. "I was hit from behind in the dark, so I honestly didn't see anything."

Riggins confessed, "I might demolish the poor SOB if I ever find out who did it. A lot of us feel like that. We're angry. It's not right what they did to you, just the way it is."

"Yeah, I'm angry, too," Eric had a confession of his own, as he held his head. "I'm angry at the ones who did this. And I'm angry at myself for goin' in there. I knew better, but I did it anyway. You could learn a lesson from what I did wrong."

"You know what I think?" the young man asked. "I think you were trying to protect your family, Coach. Don't be too hard on yourself for protectin' the ones you love."

"How did I protect my family?" Eric asked, his eyes were still closed. "Look at all they have to deal with while I'm here and can't protect them."

Riggins, who normally had little to say until after he downed his first six pack of beer, wasn't used to hearing his coach talk like this. He didn't like it. "You're always the one in charge, helpin' everyone, bein' strong for everyone. Maybe it's our turn to help you, be strong for you. We're all lookin' out for your family," Tim caught himself almost getting upset with his coach then, he leveled himself out. "You need to trust us. All the players, Mac, the staff, the Boosters … they're all helpin' where they can. Ol' Saracen has really stepped up."

As he pulled off one of the Red Bull's from the rest of the pack, Riggins continued, "You didn't do anything wrong, Coach," Tim went on, popping open the can of Red Bull and taking a pull. "You just got smacked upside the head by a freakin' criminal, that's all. I mean, it's not like you were somewhere you weren't supposed to be. It was _your _house you were in. You have every right to be in your house. The guy who hit you was the one who did somethin' wrong."

Either Eric's head injury was much worse than he thought or Riggins was making a whole lot of sense. It was something Eric was not accustomed to hearing from his academically challenged, borderline alcoholic fullback. As the night went on, he honestly didn't mind having Riggins babysit him.

_Midland Memorial Medical Center_

_Neurosurgical Floor_

_Tuesday_

Monday had been more of the same: waiting, scans, and waiting. Tami agreed to let Julie continue to stay out of school with the family until Eric was upgraded to satisfactory condition.

The latest scans showed the hematoma continued to gradually be getting smaller; however, Eric's headaches were not. Tami helped him wash his hair, shave, and get cleaned up. Julie came by to visit her Dad for awhile. Gracie wasn't allowed to visit, so her Aunt Shelly was taking good care of her.

A couple of hours later, the nurses helped Eric put on his robe and sit up in a chair for awhile. He was making enough progress to begin getting him out of bed. So long as he stayed still, he was doing pretty well in the upright position. As soon as the nurses left his room, the Taylors heard a hard rap at the door.

"Coach Taylor, Mrs. Taylor. I'm County Sheriff Chad Clarke. I'm Landry Clarke's father." Then, he saw Julie in the corner of the room. "Oh, hello there, young lady."

"Oh, you mean Lance?" Eric smiled and extended his hand for a shake.

Sheriff Clarke walked over and shook his hand. Figuring the coach was confused due to his recent head injury, the Sheriff didn't press the issue about his son's name.

"Hey, Sheriff Clarke," Tami extended a smile. "Of course we know who you are."

The Sheriff acknowledged Tami with a nod and a smile.

"How are you doing, Coach Taylor?" the Sheriff wanted to know.

"I think I'll make it," Eric gave a small smile despite his pounding head. "Thank you for askin'."

The Sherriff removed his hat and held it in his hand. "I'm sorry to bother ya'll while you are in here trying to recuperate from your injuries, Coach Taylor, but I heard about the robbery at your home."

"Uh, honey," Tami turned to Julie. "Would you go downstairs and get yourself something to eat while we talk to the Sherriff? I'll call you when we're finished." And she handed her daughter a $20 bill.

"Um, sure," Julie said, grabbing the money and leaving the room. She really wanted to hear what they were going to talk about, but she knew she couldn't stay.

After she left, Sherriff Clarke continued, "I can't help but suspect that it shares similarities to another recent robbery in the county. Is it true that you got a look at the suspects, Mrs. Taylor?"

"Please, call me Tami. I got a very brief look in the dark," she said.

"I read the police report and your account," the Sheriff said. "I have a surveillance tape of the suspects in the county robbery, and I want to you come and take a look at."

"If you think it will help, I'd be glad to," she replied, encouraged that maybe someone would find the animals that did this to her husband.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Friday Night Lies Chapter 6

Author: Romantique

Email:

Classification: Eric/Tami.

Rating: T for some minor course language.

Summary: When the entire town of Dillon closes up Friday nights to watch their beloved Panthers, who's watching their vacant homes and businesses?

Disclaimer: Friday Night Lights fan fiction occurs at the end of Season 3.

Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.

_Wednesday morning_

_County Sherriff's Office_

The next morning, Tami went down to the County Sheriff's office and met Sheriff Clarke. He set up a viewing room for her to review the video tape, along with a tape recorder to record her comments during the viewing.

After watching the video, she explained two things stood out, only one she felt may be pertinent. First, she recognized that one of the robbers on the tape had the Egyptian ankh symbol on the back of his dark jacket, just as she described in her police report. Second, she recognized the house in the video as belonging to Joe and Katie McCoy. She and Eric had dinner there several times before, so she was certain about the house.

The Sheriff was pleased she identified the ankh symbol, as he thought it was significant to link it with the two robberies. He turned off the recorder.

On the way out of the room, Tami couldn't help but ask Sheriff Clarke some questions of her own. "So, Joe and Katie McCoy's house was robbed, too?"

"Yes, the Friday night before your robbery. But I'd like to keep that information out of the community for just now."

Tami was bewildered. "I didn't read anything about it in the paper."

"That's because they did everything in their power to keep it out of the paper," the Sheriff disclosed.

Tami raised an eyebrow. "Why do I get the feeling there is something odd going on here?"

"Because there is," the Sheriff disclosed more information. "The McCoys didn't want our agency to investigate their robbery that they initially reported by calling 911, and they have enough money to make that happen. I was ordered to let it go," the Sheriff began to explain. "But when I heard about your robbery and Coach Taylor's assault, I made a decision. Mayor Rodell may feel the need to bend the law for Joe McCoy, but I don't. As a matter of fact, I obtained the surveillance tape from an employee of the surveillance company without McCoy's permission."

"Why would they not want their robbery to be investigated?" Tami could not understand.

"My guess is they wanted to make it all go away. Joe McCoy doesn't want to be perceived as being vulnerable. Some of the upper crust just make this sort of thing "go away" rather than advertise their vulnerability to those who break the law. They have plenty of money and insurance to replace anything that was stolen or damaged. I've seen it happen before."

"And then they got Mayor Rodell to help them hide it? Where is their sense of social responsibility? Keeping it quiet only left those animals free to go out and hurt someone else. And they did; they almost killed Eric!"

"In my time in law enforcement, I've found that people like the McCoys don't think about others, only themselves," the Sherriff said. "Now, again, I want to ask you to give me some time to investigate this new information. I'm stepping out on a limb here, but I don't care. People like Joe McCoy are bad for Dillon."

_Wednesday_

_McCoy Home_

It was no secret the Taylors and the McCoys did not like one another. But it was an entirely different thing when the McCoys endanger the lives of others. Tami knew she shouldn't be there, but she couldn't let it go. Standing on the doorstep of the McCoy home, she rang the door bell.

Katie McCoy looked at her newly installed security monitor and saw Tami at the door. She took in a deep breath, pulled down the tail of her shirt in preparation of what was sure to be an unpleasant encounter and answered the door.

There was an awkward silence between the two women, until Katie finally spoke. "Tami, despite our differences, I want you to know I was sorry to hear about what happened to Eric and to your home. How's he doing?"

Gathering every last bit of restraint she could muster, Tami spoke in a very calm and even cadence. "I came here to say one thing and one thing only. I want you to know that I know your house was robbed, too. And that by protecting only yourselves, Eric damn near died."

"Wha… Wha… Are you actually suggesting we had something to do with what happened to Eric? To your house?" Katie was flabbergasted. "I always suspected you were off, Tami, but I never had any idea you were this far off," she huffed with a scowl across her eyebrows. Her typically pretty face looked downright frightening.

"I know what I know," Tami said without changing tone. "And if you don't believe me, maybe you need to ask Joe." Tami turned on her heel and walked back to her car.

_Midland Memorial Medical Center_

_Thursday morning_

The next morning, Eric's condition was upgraded to satisfactory, and he was stepped down to a regular room. Another scan and more neurological testing were on his agenda. Dr. Jones, the specialist from Austin, was due to stop by later in the day. Eric's headache was still bad, but the vomiting resolved, and this was a very good sign. He was still very much bothered by lights and loud sounds. Since yesterday, the nurses had been getting him up and out of bed on a regular basis. He was more than happy to get out of bed because he wanted to go home. Except now, he didn't have one to go home to.

Tami had appointments with the police and their insurance agent during the morning. Her sister dropped Gracie off at daycare so she could accompany Tami. As she promised, Julie left to head back to school with the promise that if anything changed, she could come back to the hospital.

Returning from his latest CT scan, an orderly helped Eric back into bed. For the first time in days, he was free of the uncomfortable neck brace and allowed to lie on his back in an elevated position. It felt good, and he closed his eyes.

A moment later, Buddy Garrity entered the room with a loud, "Hey Eric, how ya' doing there?" and he flipped on the light switch to the darkened room.

Startled, Eric immediately winced in pain from the bright light, and he covered his eyes. A nurse walked in on the scene and chastised Buddy for turning on the lights in the room of a head injury patient, and she flipped the lights back off. Buddy honestly felt bad and started to apologize, when the nurse chastised him again for talking so loudly. Eric wondered how he could hire this nurse to chastise Buddy whenever he needed her.

"Now don't stay too long," the nurse warned Buddy. "Eric is here to rest." And she and the orderly left the two men to their visit.

"Hey, I'm sorry about that," Buddy tried to lower his voice.

"It was a mistake," Eric said, holding his head. It was pounding.

"How are you doing?" Buddy smiled his congenial smile.

"I'm doin' better," Eric answered. He didn't feel like going through long explanations. "I can't wait to get outta here."

"Yeah, but don't push it. You took a bad hit to the head," Buddy suggested. "Have you seen Dr. Jones since Saturday?"

"I'm supposed to see him later today. I'm sure the scan they just did was for him," Eric answered. "Thank you for gettin' him on my case. Tami and I really appreciate it."

"You know I would do anything for you and Tami," Buddy smiled.

The number one Panther Booster proceeded to update Eric on the practices in preparation for Friday's game against South Millbank. And he wanted Eric to rest assured that he and Mac and the Panthers organization were working with Tami on their house and getting it secured and back in shape.

"Tami had to go and pick up a copy of the police report to take to the insurance agent. They're gonna to try and get a partial check cut by the end of this week," Eric explained.

"That's good," Buddy smiled.

"Thanks to you and to everyone for the help you've given us, especially to Tami, while I'm down. My poor wife has a lot on her plate right now, and I just really appreciate it," Eric said trying to keep his mind off his aching head. "If you'd pass my sentiments to the staff and the team and the Boosters, I'd appreciate it."

"Sure will. Hey, I brought you some game films for next week's game if you want to watch them," Buddy opened his inside jacket pocket.

Just the thought of having to watch or focus on anything made Eric nauseous. "I can't watch those yet," Eric stopped him. "The motion is something I can't handle. Mac is gonna have to be my eyes until I'm back to work."

"Do you have any idea when that might be?" Buddy asked, never one for tact.

"I hope to know more after I see the specialist," Eric was becoming annoyed on top of being in pain. "I don't like not being able to watch films, Buddy."

"I didn't mean to upset you," Buddy countered. "I was just curious."

"You come in here, turn on the lights, tell me not to push it, and then you want me to watch game films while I'm lying here with the biggest damn, non-stop headache I've ever had in my life," Eric was becoming testy. "You didn't upset me. I'm in pain! I just got outta Critical Care. There's a difference."

Since the injury, Eric had been short-tempered. This was not an unusual symptom for his type of injury, although Buddy wasn't aware of this fact.

"I'm so sorry, Eric. Of course there's a difference." Even Buddy noticed he'd set his friend off. "I'm sitting here thinking that your condition was upgraded and that you were feeling better. I shouldn't have been thinking at all because I'm not a doctor and don't know anything. But one thing you need to know … I don't want you to rush it."

Eric knew Buddy's intentions were good if they were also Buddy's. He couldn't wait for this visit to be over.


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Friday Night Lies

Author: Romantique

Email:

Classification: Eric/Tami Crime/Angst

Rating: T for minor course language.

Summary: When the entire town of Dillon closes up Friday nights to watch their beloved Panthers, who's watching their homes and businesses?

Disclaimer: Friday Night Lights fan fiction occurs at the end of Season 3.

Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.

_Midland Memorial Medical Center_

_Friday Night_

Dr. Jones had been by to see Eric that morning after looking at Thursday's and Friday's scans. The hematoma continued to be getting smaller and Eric's neurological symptoms were improving. If things continued to progress in this fashion, Dr. Jones told Eric he may be able to go home on Monday. Because of his ongoing severe headache and dizziness, he would still be on bed rest until Dr. Jones saw him next Friday in his office. The two-fold concern was that Eric continued to make progress and that he not fall and reinjure his head.

Still unable to handle motion very well, Eric could not watch Friday night's game on television with all its play action, but he attempted to listen to it. His head was hurting so bad, at one point, Tami watched it for him and took notes. He made her promise to bring him back in for the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. The Dillon Panthers won the game 28 to 21. Knowing they had another win allowed Eric to rest that night a little easier.

But while the town was at Hermann Field for the big game, Garrity Motors was being robbed. The dealership was closed this Friday night, as it was every Friday night, which made it easy pickings for criminal activity.

Early Saturday morning, Buddy received a 7 a.m. call from his Sales Manager telling him the place had evidently been vandalized and probably robbed. The Sales Manager called the police before he called his boss, and an officer was the way.

Quickly, Buddy got dressed and went to the dealership to meet with the police. The offices had been ransacked. Some cars had been vandalized, windows broken, stereos stolen. They also found valuable tools had been stolen from the repair shop. Garrity Motors had security cameras, and the police were hopeful the cameras might have captured film of the suspects.

Buddy had to close the sales offices while the police conducted their investigation, so he set up a trailer in the far end of the lot so his dealership could continue to conduct its weekend sales business. The police were already trying to link this robbery to the Taylor and McCoy robberies.

_Midland Memorial Medical Center_

_Sunday Morning_

Eric sat on the edge of the hospital bed, dressed and waiting for the discharge nurse to come in and sign him out of this place. He was so compliant and eager to get out of this place, he persuaded his attending physician to release him today. Tami and her sister had already loaded the car with his things and a myriad of plants, balloons, and flowers. Then, they went to pick up some prescriptions he would need right away.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Joe McCoy stormed into his room.

"What the hell do you think you're doing telling everyone that we had something to do with the robbery at your house and your assault?" Joe was red faced and fuming.

"I don't know what the hell you're talkin' about, Joe, but I think you need to leave." Eric's head began pounding harder from the sudden change in his rising blood pressure.

"Your wife came over to our house and accused us of having something to do with your assault and robbery," Joe began shouting. "And then, I read in the paper that we're somehow also connected to the robbery over at Garrity Motors, and the team and this gossipy town are just talking it up."

Eric hadn't read the Sunday paper and knew nothing about Garrity Motors, but as soon as he heard this abusive, son-of-a-bitch mention his wife, he cut Joe off in a seething tone. "I don't know anything about Garrity Motors. But you better not mention my wife ever again in any context, Joe. Do you hear me? You don't mention her, you don't look at her, you don't threaten her; and you sure as hell better not ever so much as touch a hair on her head. Now, get the hell out of here before I call security!"

At the sound of the commotion coming out of Eric's room, the discharge nurse walked into the room. "Is everything alright in here?" she asked with great authority.

Eric took a hard swallow. His intense, intimidating stare at McCoy never broke for a second. "I think Joe was just leavin'."

_Sunday Afternoon_

_Midland Hotel_

After Eric was discharged, Tami, Eric, and Shelley went over to the hotel across the street. Tami secured another room for her and Eric and Gracie. Eric was in no shape for a long car ride home, and there house wasn't ready to move back into anyway. Their insurance agent authorized Tami to stay at the hotel for another week, as their house should be ready to move back into by then. Shelley agreed to stay on to continue helping out where she could. Julie wanted to stay in the room with her aunt.

After Eric was settled into a room, Tami and Julie brought Gracie Belle in to see her Daddy. It did Eric's heart good to see Gracie, and she was very happy to see him. Father and baby daughter missed one another.

"What's this I hear you're sleepin' in a big girl bed with your sister?" Eric asked his little one. Gracie laughed and beamed with pride. "And you went swimmin' in the pool?"

"Oh, Hon," Tami stopped him. "Please don't mention the 'S' word, or she'll want to go … now."

But it was too late. Gracie Belle was then promised she could go to the pool _after_ she ate her lunch and had a nap. They even had to tell her she couldn't go now because the pool was closed.

The Taylors ordered room service and began to settle back into family life. After the meal, Tami could see Eric was tiring. She had been warned at the hospital that he may tire easily due to the concussion. Tami suggested the girls go to Shelley's room for awhile so that Eric could rest. After hugs and kisses and "bye-byes," Eric went into the bathroom to take one of his medications.

Upon returning from the bathroom, Eric approached Tami. This had been his first real opportunity to ask, "Is there something you need to tell me?"

"About what?" she asked.

"Joe McCoy came to see me at the hospital today," he disclosed in a very flat tone.

In front of her own husband, Tami was quietly embarrassed. "I went to see Katie to let her know I knew they had been robbed and quashed it," she admitted. "And that by only looking out for themselves, other people got hurt. You got hurt."

There was silence.

Tami sighed. "I knew I shouldn't have gone … I shouldn't have said it. It was personal and unprofessional, and it happened on their turf which was not my most brilliant moment." Tami stared off vacantly, as she tried to explain herself. "But I did it anyway. I had to."

There was another long silence. Eric sensed his wife needed to talk about what happened that night. Tami talked to him about everything, and she hadn't been able to for over a week. In order to get through this past week, she had to hold everything in. She needed to talk, and he gave her the space to do so.

"I'm sorry if I made things worse," she raised an eyebrow, searching Eric's eyes for forgiveness. "That's all we need is a war with the McCoys on top of everything else."

Eric's response was an unexpected one. "And I'm sorry if I made things worse by chargin' into the house that night. I shouldn't have done it, but I had to."

Tami was still searching her husband's eyes, when they both experienced a flash of clarity and understanding. As Tim Riggins said, they were protecting the ones they love.

"Come here, babe," Eric beckoned.

No longer encumbered by needles and tubes and wires, Eric opened his arms and gave his wife a real hug. He held her strong. Tami fell into his arms and rested her head against his shoulder with her face away from his, and she began to cry. He just held her and held her head, and he began to stroke her long hair. The longer he held her, the harder she cried until she was sobbing, releasing all the fear and anger she carried.

Eric continued to stroke her hair and kissed her head.

"In the ambulance, at the hospital, you were unconscious; you were in a coma." Tami tried to speak in between sobs. "You … almost … died." After struggling to get those words out, she completely broke down.

He continued to hold her strong. Still stroking her hair, he couldn't help but think that he was the fortunate one because he didn't remember any of that. But he could see Tami did, and he suspected Julie did, too.

"I'm here," he whispered, holding her even tighter, resting his head upon hers. "I'm here."

He then leaned back so that he could cup her face in his hands, bringing it closer to his. Streams of tears poured down her face. His eyes searched hers until his eyes began to glisten. He tightened his mouth into a knowing little smile that spread up into eyes and made them crinkle. "I'm not goin' anywhere."

Eric tightened his mouth again into the little smile. Still holding her face in his hands, he stroked Tami's wet cheek with his thumb, wiping away tears. Finally, Tami mirrored the little smile that slowly spread up into her eyes.

"I love you," Eric whispered.

"I love you, too," she said, now gazing into his eyes.

Eric brought his mouth to meet hers and gently kissed his wife. Tasting the salt of her tears, their kiss deepened. Eric's head ached; Tami could see the pain in his eyes and convinced him he needed to lie down. And she told him she needed to lie down with him. They just held one another. They needed to hold onto one another.


End file.
